Tennessee Elk Hunting
- Elk Hunting Season Dates, & Bag Limits
- Elk Hunting Regulations
- Elk Hunting Applications & Permits
- Elk Hunt Zone Information - Interactive Map
- Annual Elk Harvest by Hunt Zone
- Big Game - Tag Before You Drag - Mobile Check-In
- CWD Carcass Importation Restrictions
- Strategic Elk Management Plan 2018-2027
- Elk Hunting History in Tennessee
- Learn more about Elk Biology
- Elk Reintroduction Q&A with a Biologist
Brad Miller Tells About the First Archery Only Elk Hunt In Tennessee.
An elk quota permit is valid for a specific Elk Hunting Zone (EHZ) or specified combination of zones on North Cumberland WMA and for private lands in Anderson, Campbell, Claiborne, Morgan and Scott counties. EHZ assignments are not transferable.
All public land other than North Cumberland WMA is closed to elk hunting.
It is the responsibility of elk permit holders to obtain verbal or written permission to hunt on private property.
TWRA does not guarantee hunter access on private lands. Check out the interactive Elk Hunt Zone map here.
Total Applicants for 2020: 9,568 (Gun and Archery)
Total Applicants for 2019: 8,201 (Gun and Archery)
Total Applicants for 2018: 8,450 (Gun and Archery)
EHZ 1: Chestnut Ridge and Fork Mountain
2020 Archery Hunt Applications: 781
2019 Archery Hunt Applicants: 598
2018 Archery Hunt Applicants: 525
EHZ 1 is a 6,827 acre zone that has been hunted since 2009. The zone was rested during the 2015 and 2016 seasons. The zone has a very high success rate. The zone contains multiple wildlife openings.
Zone Description- That portion of the North Cumberland WMA west of I-75 and east of the Southern railroad tracks. All safety zones designated by TWRA and private property excluded.
EHZ 2: Adkins and Turley Mountain
2020 Archery Hunt Applications: 271 *In 2020 Zones 2 and 6 were combined
2019 Archery Hunt Applicants: 311
2018 Archery Hunt Applicants: 188
2020 Gun Hunt Applications: 1380 * in 2020 Zones 2 and 6 were combined
2019 Gun Hunt Applicants: 1,427
2018 Gun Hunt Applicants: 1,201
EHZ 2 is a 6,919-acre zone that has been hunted since 2009. The zone has a good success rate. The zone contains multiple wildlife openings.
Zone Description-That portion west of the Southern Railroad tracks, east of Red Ash Rd. to Wheeler Gap, northeast of Adkins Mountain Road to Jenny Gap, east of Straight Fork Rd. to State Highway 63, east of Hwy 63 to the Southern Railroad tracks. All safety zones designated by TWRA and private property excluded.
EHZ 3: Horse Gap and Wolf Ridge
2020 Archery Hunt Applicants: 300
2019 Archery Hunt Applicants: 227
2018 Archery Hunt Applicants: 231
2020 Gun Hunt Applicants: 1388
2019 Gun Hunt Applicants: 941
2018 Gun Hunt Applicants: 1,118
EHZ 3 is a 6,362 acre zone that has been hunted since 2009. The zone has a moderate success rate. The zone contains multiple wildlife openings.
Zone Description-That portion of North Cumberland WMA south of Adkins Mountain Rd. to Huckaby Knob, west of the trail on Brushy Mountain Ridge to Montgomery Fork Creek, north of Montgomery Fork Creek (downstream) to the North Cumberland WMA boundary line and east of the North Cumberland WMA boundary line to Jenny Gap. All safety zones designated by TWRA and private property excluded.
EHZ 4: Anderson and Massengale Mountain
2020 Archery Hunt Applicants: 445
2019 Archery Hunt Applicants: 311
2018 Archery Hunt Applicants: 400
2020 Gun Hunt Applicants: 1,680
2019 Gun Hunt Applicants: 1,460
2018 Gun Hunt Applicants: 1,813
EHZ 4 is a 6,298 acre zone that has been hunted since 2009. The zone was rested during the 2015 and 2016 seasons. The zone has a very high success rate. The zone is contains multiple wildlife openings.
Zone Description-That portion on the North Cumberland WMA south of Montgomery Fork Creek to Little Bruce Ridge, west of Little Bruce Ridge to Short Haul Rd. to Grave Gap, north of Massengale Mountain road to Poor Mountain Road, north of Poor Mountain Rd. to Norma Rd., east of Norma Rd. to Montgomery Fork Creek. All safety zones designated by TWRA and private property excluded.
EHZ 5: Cross Mountain and Red Ash
2020 Archery Hunt Applicants: 303
2019 Archery Hunt Applicants: 200
2018 Archery Hunt Applicants: 201
2020 Gun Hunt Applicants: 1,101
2019 Gun Hunt Applicants: 810
2018 Gun Hunt Applicants: 932
EHZ 5 is a 4,752 acre zone that has been hunted since 2009. The zone has a good success rate. The zone contains multiple wildlife openings.
Zone Description-That portion on the North Cumberland WMA South of Red Ash Rd. to Wheeler Gap, west of Adkins Mountain Rd. to Huckaby Knob, east of the trail on the Brushy Mountain Ridge to Montgomery Fork Creek, east of Little Bruce Ridge to Short Haul Rd., east of Massengale Rd. to Ash Log Gap, north of boundary back to Southern Railroad, west of Southern Railroad to Red Ash Church. All safety zones designated by TWRA and private property excluded.
EHZ 6: Braden Mountain
2020 Archery Hunt Applications: 271 *In 2020 Zones 2 and 6 were combined
2019 Archery Hunt Applicants: 311
2018 Archery Hunt Applicants: 188
2020 Gun Hunt Applications: 1380 * in 2020 Zones 2 and 6 were combined
2019 Gun Hunt Applicants: 1,427
2018 Gun Hunt Applicants: 1,201
EHZ 6 is a 6,363 acre zone that has been hunted since 2015. The zone has a low success rate. Elk within this zone are transient. The zone contains multiple wildlife openings.
Zone Description-That portion of the North Cumberland WMA, north of State Hwy 63, west of State Hwy 297, and east of the Rock House community. EHZ 6 also includes the Mon Petit / Atlas Petroleum property which joins the North Cumberland Boundary on the north. All safety zones designated by TWRA and private property excluded.
EHZ 7 Rock Creek
Zone Description: That portion of the North Cumberland WMA, Ed Carter Unit, south of the Tennessee and Kentucky State Line, north of the Cumberland Trail State Park of US Hwy 25W, and west of Rock Creek Ridge Road to Straight Creek Road to Mountain Road to Hwy 132. All safety zones designated by the TWRA and private property excluded.
EHZ 8 Cooper Ridge
Zone Description: That portion of the North Cumberland WMA, Ed Carter Unit, east of Hwy 90 to Rock Creek Ridge Road to Straight Creek Road to Mountain Road to Hwy 132, and south of Valley Creek Road. All safety zones designated by the TWRA and private property excluded.
EHZ 9 Valley Creek
Zone Description: That portion of the North Cumberland WMA, Ed Carter Unit, south of the Tennessee and Kentucky State Lie, east of Hwy 90, north of Valley Creek Road and west of Hwy 132. All safety zones designated by the TWRA and private property excluded.
EHZ 10 Sunquist
Zone Description: The North Cumberland WMA Sundquist unit, excluding a 500-yard buffer on each side of Elk Tower Road from 25W to the Hatfield Knob Elk Viewing Tower parking lot. All safety zones designated by the TWRA and private property excluded.
| Season Type | Season Dates | Hunt Area *** | Permits | Bag Limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Archery-Only Season | September 28 - October 4, 2024 |
EHZ's and Counties designated open by TWRA |
9 | 1 antlered elk per permit |
| Gun/ Muzzleloader/ Archery * |
October 5 - 11, 2024 |
9* | 1 antlered elk per permit |
|
| Young Sportsman** Gun/ Muzzleloader/Archery |
October 12 - 18, 2024 | 1** | 1 antlered elk per permit |
* The season for the permit issued to a non-profit conservation organization is Oct. 5-11, 2024 in EHZ one (1) and counties designated open by TWRA.
** Resident youths 13-16 may apply for a quota permit. Young sportsmen must be accompanied by a non-hunting adult, 21 years of age or older, who must remain in a position to take immediate control of the hunting device and who must also comply with fluorescent orange regulations,, as specified for legal hunters. Youth hunters must complete hunter education or purchase the Apprentice Hunter Education Exemption permit (along with other required licenses) to participate in the hunt.
*** EHZs are located on North Cumberland WMA only; all other public land is CLOSED to elk hunting. Hunting on private lands within the following counties is allowed only with landowner permission: Anderson, Campbell, Claiborne, Morgan and Scott counties.
Out-of-State Hunters - Be aware of carcass importation restrictions for deer, elk, moose and caribou. CWDinTennessee.com
Elk Hunting Applications & Permits
Elk harvest is regulated by a quota permit system. Landowners are not exempt from this permit requirement and must be drawn for a quota permit to hunt.
Nineteen (19) quota permits will be issued. One of the nineteen (19) permits will be issued to a qualifying non-profit wildlife conservation organization with all proceeds benefiting the TWRA Elk Management Program. Another one of the nineteen (19) permits will be issued to a resident Young Sportsman who is able to hunt all open elk zones.
Elk permits are valid for designated Elk Hunt Zones (EHZs) on North Cumberland WMA and on private lands in Anderson, Campbell, Claiborne, Morgan, and Scott counties. All public land other than North Cumberland WMA is closed to elk hunting.
It is the responsibility of elk permit holders to obtain verbal or written permission to hunt on private property. TWRA does not guarantee hunters access to private lands.
Application Dates for Elk and Youth Elk Quota Permit
The Elk and Youth Elk quota hunt application period will be posted on the Quota Hunt Page Customers who are interested in applying for both the WMA quota hunt and Elk quota hunt will have to submit two applications, one for each. The computer drawings will be handled separately. All hunting seasons are closed unless opened by a specific Tennessee Fish and Wildlife Commission Proclamation.
Quota Hunt applications can be conveniently submitted here, at TWRA Licensed Agent locations, TWRA Regional Offices, or via the TWRA Mobile App. Applications cannot be accepted by mail.
IMPORTANT Carcass Importation laws are in effect, don't let ignorance of the law cost you a trophy of a lifetime! Read More Here.
Elk Hunting Regulations
- Upon harvesting an elk, the hunter must immediately attach the elk harvest tag provided by TWRA to the carcass. All harvested elk must be checked out at the North Cumberland Wildlife Management Area Office on the day of harvest.
- The harvest location must be adequately marked so that TWRA employees can identify the harvest site. This must be accomplished by either providing GPS coordinates or accompanying a TWRA employee to the harvest site
- Use or possession of electronic tracking equipment is prohibited.
- Bugling or calling of elk is prohibited within the EHZs during all elk hunts except by permitted hunters and their assistants.
Incidental Take of Elk
A legal deer hunter may harvest an elk (either sex) incidental to deer hunting on all private and public lands open to deer hunting except for public and private lands located in Anderson, Campbell, Claiborne, Scott, and Morgan counties and except for Big South Fork River and Recreation Area, Scott State Forest, and Obed National Scenic River Corridor. Only one elk per year may be harvested incidental to legal deer hunting. Elk harvested via incidental take must be reported to the TWRA on the day of harvest by calling 1-800-831-1174 to allow physical checking by TWRA personnel.